


'Twas the Night before Christmas at Stark Mansion

by AnonEhouse, blakefancier



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 23:23:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1099770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonEhouse/pseuds/AnonEhouse, https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Young Tony makes a deal with Santa.</p><p>(based on an email convo I had with blakefancier. I padded it out a lot. :^) )</p>
            </blockquote>





	'Twas the Night before Christmas at Stark Mansion

(If you are reading this on any PAY site this is a STOLEN WORK, the author has NOT Given Permission for it to be here. If you're paying to read it, you're being cheated too because you can read it on Archiveofourown for FREE.)

Howard didn't know how Maria had talked him into dressing up as Santa Claus. It was ridiculous. He had maids who could arrange packages under the tree, and probably do it more artistically than Howard. So what if they had families they wanted to share Christmas Eve with? For what he paid, little Jimmy or Susan could wait an extra hour for mommy to show up. Howard's dad hadn't ever bothered. Which was just as well, because the old man would have just got stinking drunk and ruined everything.

"Bah, humbug." Howard heaved the red sack into a more comfortable position over his shoulder and headed for the tree. Maria giggled and readied the camera to take a photo to show Tony later. She wanted to get the tree and everything into the shot, so she was standing far back in the dimness of the main entrance to the living room.

Howard stomped forward, grumpily. Kids. Tony was five and he had a damn good mind, he didn't need fantasies cluttering up his world. "Huh." The little table where Tony had laid out a plate of cookies for Santa and a bunch of carrots for his reindeer now also held a tumbler of Scotch. The good stuff from the smell. Well, that wasn't a bad idea at all. He stepped forward, over a pile of discarded tinsel and reached for the booze.

 _ **TWANG**_ and Howard's foot was caught by a loop of rope and pulled, accompanied by the sound of a powerful motor winding a cable over a pulley. "HEY!" He dropped the sack and was dragged over to the middle of the room, flipped over and dangled upside down under the chandelier. He hoped to God the flash of light he saw was a minor concussion and not Maria taking a photo. His beard was glued on too well to fall off, but it flopped down to cover his face. He blew out the woolly smelling stuff and shouted, "TOOOOOONNNY!" That kid. He was gonna be the death of Howard.

Tony ran in, all bright eyes and giggles, dressed in red flannel pajamas printed with spaceships and stars. "SAAAANNTA!" Tony crowed in triumph, and danced around Howard, just out of his reach.

"Get me out of this, Tony!" Howard was too annoyed to fake a Santa voice, but Tony was too excited to notice.

"Daddy says you gotta 'gotiate first! I got a contract!" He waved a piece of construction paper, with painfully awkward Tony lettering sprawled across it.

"Tony, let me down, this instant!"

"Gotta sign on the line! Here's a crayon, Santa!"

Howard didn't know whether to be pissed or proud. The kid had some brass. He grabbed the paper to see what demands the little monster had. "Hold on, a plane _and_ a pony?"

"Or a pony with wings." Tony nodded. "That would be eefishent."

"Tony, I can't bring you imaginary things."

Tony tilted his head in thought. "'kay. A pony, then. I can build my own plane."

Howard sighed. And he would, given the chance. "Okay, that seems fair. Pass over the crayon, kid."

Tony giggled and happily pressed the red crayon into Howard's hand.

Howard scribbled 'Santa Claus' and gave Tony back the contract and the crayon. "Now let me down."

Tony squinted at the paper and nodded. He went over to the curtain by the wall and wriggled behind it. The sound of the motor cut off. 

Howard braced himself to fall, but the kid had figured out a ratchet release, so he was lowered in slow, clinking stages. He sat up and brushed down the beard before pulling the loop off his foot. Tony came running back in to beam at him.

Howard scowled behind the beard. "Now go to bed before your mom and dad wake up."

Tony tugged on Howard's hand. "Gotta shake on the deal!"

Howard shook Tony's hand. "Now, bed!"

"Gnight, Santa!" Tony bounced up the stairs, clutching the contract to his chest.

"Good night, Tony." Howard closed his eyes and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Where am I gonna get a goddamn pony on Christmas Eve?"


End file.
